A Wallflower's Thorns

12

Shouto never goes back to the break room. After the fight finishes, when ice burns his veins and anger heats his breath, he finds the most secluded hallway he can and leans against the wall. Leans, because it’s far less vulnerable than sitting down should anyone walk by. 

Shinsou Hitoshi, class 1-C. A scrawny teen  who shouldn’t have been able to get under Shouto’s skin like he did. The anger flares up all over again at the memory of the fight. 

Shouto’s not some emotionless...thing, okay? Even if it would make life easier, he feels things like sadness, anger, love. But in that moment between what Shinsou said and Shouto freezing him, it hurt. The words are intangible things and yet he feels them digging under his skin, pricking old wounds.

Footsteps echo down the hall. Shouto doesn’t look until they stop and an elderly man speaks.

“Well, the kid wasn’t wrong about secluded places...” 

Shouto doesn’t have a clue as to what he means. The old man standing at the end of the hall is short in stature, with gray hair and frown lines that make his wrinkles all the deeper. He reminds Shouto of his grandfather. His throat still feels tight, he straightens up and nods respectfully anyways. “Hello, is there something I can help you with?”

“Bah, kids these days.” The man grumbles, Shouto swears he’s seen him before, “You know Midoriya, right? It sounded like it, the way he was talking ‘bout you, but that kid’s got too much empathy to be sure.”

“...Yes, I do know Midoriya.” 

“Good. Kd sent me after you, said to make sure you were alright.” The man looks him up and down, focusing on the frost covering his arm, “Looks like he was right to worry. Side effect of your Quirk?” He doesn’t wait for Shouto to answer, “We’re gonna find you a blanket, or something, before you turn into a popsicle. I think I saw a hot drink stand near the concession area...” the man starts grumbling to himself. Then, as an afterthought, “The name’s Gran Torino, by the way. Now come on, before you get sick.”

A bit dazed at how fast this is happening, Shouto does as he’s told. Yet there’s a question that’s eating him up inside, “Why did Midoriya ask you to look for me?”

“Hm?” Gran looks at him, squinting his eyes. “Well, I can’t say I really understand that kid, but I imagine it’s because he was worried.”

Shouto scowls, “I don’t need any of his concern.”

Gran barks a laugh, “Kid, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Midoriya worries. A lot. I don’t think you can do anything that will stop him.”

Shouto concedes to the point and they finally reach the outskirts of the concession area. He spots a little stand touting a sign reading “Hot Chocolate”. “Is that the stand you were talking about?”